Not a death story
by Richefic
Summary: The repercussions from the car crash mentioned in the S1 ep Marine Down have implications for Gibbs and Tony's relationship. Now complete.
1. Chapter 1

AN - I've been meaning to write this story for a long time. I finally got to it over the summer. It is based on the conversation in the S1 ep "Marine Down" about Tony having to take a physical to prove he is still alive after having his security clearance yanked for apparently dying in a car crash. It is set between the pilot and S1 (pre-Kate). Having now seen the trailers for the S5 ep "Bury your dead" I thought I should post it before 25th Sept to avoid any confusion!

Disclaimer - Based on the ep "Marine Down" but entirely my own interpretation, not making any profit expect hopefully other people's enjoyment.

* * *

Gibbs tried to focus on the feel of the Styrofoam cup in his hands, its comforting warmth leeching through to his numb fingers. Almost on autopilot he raised the cup to his lips and swallowed, concentrating on the strong, bitter, brew, anything to block out the sights and smells of the Hospital.

"How's DiNozzo doing?"

Gibbs looked up to see Tom Morrow standing in front of him. He wasn't at all surprised that the Director had elected to come here in person. A case like this, if not handled properly, could ruin an Agency's reputation.

"As well as can be expected with a bullet in his arm, sir." Gibbs was blunt.

Morrow pursed his lips as he digested that, his gaze sliding over to Vivian Blackadder, who was anxiously pacing just outside the small waiting area, biting nervously at her nails. A little distance apart, Ducky sat stiffly, with his arm around Abby, whose makeup was streaked from crying. Neither of them were attempting to comfort Blackadder. With a sigh, Morrow sank into the hard plastic seat besides Gibbs.

"What happened, Jethro?"

"She shot DiNozzo, sir." Gibbs was uncompromising.

He felt the bile rise in his throat as recalled DiNozzo's cry of pain, unable to even look around as he heard the body fall to floor, because he was busy securing his own suspect, barely registering Blackadder's own gasp of horror as she registered her mistake.

"_DiNozzo?"_

_His cry had echoed off the roof of the abandoned warehouse. His chest tightening at the resulting silence. DiNozzo was conditioned to respond in the field, if he wasn't answering, it was because he couldn't. Rapidly cuffing his suspect to a roof support Gibbs finally turned, his eyes scanning the area._

"_DiNozzo!"_

"_Right here, Boss."_

_His voice was tight with suppressed pain. Coming around the boxes, he saw Tony's foot sticking out from behind the boxes. Ruthlessly, clamping down on his emotions, he checked the area, before scooting forward to kneel beside him. DiNozzo was lying slumped against some crates, his hand pressed to a bleeding wound on his arm._

"_How bad?" _

_Even as he spoke, Gibbs was taking in the chalk white expression and the lines of pain around his senior field agent's eyes. Tony's face creased in a frown before he answered._

_"Think its broken."_

_Gibbs expression darkened at the news and DiNozzo almost felt sorry for Vivian. Then Gibbs reached forward, telegraphing his intentions with his eyes. Tony nodded fractionally and braced himself. The ex-marine needed to check for an exit wound. Gibbs movements were swift and economical but the action engulfed Tony in a wave of sickening nausea as white hot pain stabbed at his arm. Part of his brain registered that Gibbs was talking into his phone, barking directions for the EMTs as he bit down on his lip he willing his stomach under control._

"_DiNozzo, stay with me," Gibbs ordered. "Keep talking."_

"_Really shouldn't have had that shrimp for lunch, Boss." Tony managed._

_He knew he was hovering on the edge of consciousness as Gibbs removed his neck tie, stripping off his own shirt and using both items to fashion a sling which immobilised his broken arm close to his body, before covering Tony's weakening grip with his own vice like hold to try and stem the blood flow._

"_There's no-one I'd rather have in my corner when I'm bleeding to death, Boss." Tony's voice was a mixture of gratitude and admiration._

"_You're not bleeding to death, DiNozzo," Gibbs said gruffly, for the first time allowing himself to feel a flicker of relief as the wail of sirens approached. "You're gonna be fine." _

"The Docs say it's not too bad. But he'll be in a cast for a while."

"He stay conscious?" Morrow wondered.

"Asked the Docs if he could have the bullet as a souvenir, when they pull it out," Gibbs shook his head, in rueful admiration, before his tone hardened. "I want her off my team, Tom."

"Agreed," Morrow nodded. He would still have to see the written reports and he'd interview DiNozzo and Blackadder personally before he decided her ultimate fate. But she'd already had one free pass when her rookie mistake almost screwed up the operation in Rota and there was no way he would ask Gibbs to work with her after this. "I'll sign DiNozzo off for whatever medical leave the Doctors think necessary. You too, Jethro."

"With all due respect, sir, there's nothing wrong with me."

"No?" Morrow gave him a knowing look. "Putting aside the fact that you'd been working as a two man team for a while before Blackadder came along, not to mention all the extra work involved in breaking in a new Agent, we both know how you feel about DiNozzo. Do us both a favour and take some time to get your head straight."

"Tom."

"Jethro, if you won't do this for me, then do it for DiNozzo. We both know the kid will follow your lead and try to rush his recovery if you're still on the clock. If you really want to help him, take the leave. That's an order by the way."

* * *

When DiNozzo came into the bullpen to tidy up loose ends before he went on sick leave, Gibbs had to reluctantly admit that Morrow had a point. Already worked to the point of exhaustion, surviving on cat naps at the office and rushed meals at his desk, the shock and pain of the accident had left Tony looking grey and washed out. A couple of weeks of R and R would do the kid a world of good.

He hid a smile. DiNozzo had sweet talked somebody into letting him have one of the coloured casts that they used for kids. The garish blue clashed loudly with his equally colourful Hawaiian shirt. He hadn't noticed that at the Hospital. All he'd cared about was how restrictive the cast was going to be. Elbow to wrist was manageable enough but DiNozzo had been less than happy to find he couldn't touch his forefinger with his thumb. Driving him home Gibbs had had to endure his ramblings about how the opposable thumb was directly responsible for the invention of the X-Box.

When the phone on Tony's desk rang, Gibbs' face creased in a faint frown. The only reason Morrow had allowed him to come in today was to chase DiNozzo out if the kid looked like he was trying to do anything remotely like work. That had better not be a case.

"Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. How can I help you today?" Tony answered breezily.

Gibbs automatically listened with half an ear to Tony's side of the telephone conversation, until the younger man's voice rose in pitch and volume.

"Oh, you have to be kidding me. You don't have _anything e_lse?"

As far as Gibbs could make out the answer was a definitive negative, because not even five minutes of his senior field agent's best threats, promises or pleading could secure a different outcome. Returning the receiver with a definate thunk to its cradle DiNozzo was reduced to glaring at the phone in disgust, whilst mimicking, sotto voice, parts of the argument.

"Something bothering you, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked, without looking up.

Needing no more invitation, DiNozzo was instantly on his feet and in front of Gibbs desk. "As you know, Boss, my car is a stick shift. With my new summer season accessory," Tony waggled his cast. "I can't exactly manage a stick shift. So, I'm stuck with rental car heaven. And since this is a holiday weekend coming up, every place in town is booked out. I've had to go with some tin pot local dealership and all they had, at such short notice, was an executive box on wheels that'll drive like a tank."

"Car gets you from A to B, DiNozzo," Gibbs feigned a lack of sympathy.

"This from the man with the sexy, silver, sports number in the garage," Tony said knowingly. "So, what was it, Boss? Miss-spent youth or mid-life crisis?"

Gibbs fixed him with his best glare, knowing DiNozzo would simply let it roll over him. "If you want to stay here I'm sure I can find you some work to do."

"No, that's ok, Boss," Tony backtracked. "I guess I'll survive."

He went back to his desk, tidying away the last few files and powering down his computer. As he carefully slung his backpack over his good shoulder he came back towards Gibbs desk, this time waiting patiently for his Boss to look up.

"What?"

"Scuttlebutt says the Director gave you a couple of weeks of leave. You could come with."

Gibbs hid a smile. In truth, he was touched by the offer. Few people would have had the guts to ask and ever fewer would have thought he'd have any interest in going along. Over the last two years he'd learned that DiNozzo understood a thing or two about loneliness. It was tempting, the younger man was pretty good company when he set his mind to it but, he didn't want to mess up the kid's plans, which probably involved beer and sex.

"DiNozzo, the whole point of a vacation is to get away from the people you work with."

He was slightly surprised by the way the kid's face fell. DiNozzo recovered quickly, saying something about him probably wanting to work on his boat but, Gibbs couldn't shake the memory of that brief look of hurt disappointment. As the kid said his goodbyes and turned away, Gibbs reached into his desk.

"DiNozzo!"

With his usual excellent reflexes DiNozzo caught the object flying towards him, snatching it one handed out of the air, before peering at the stress ball in the shape of the world in obvious confusion.

"Keep working that hand," Gibbs ordered. "I want you back fit for duty. Understood?"

DiNozzo lit up at the slightest hint that he was wanted or needed, just as Gibbs had known he would. Flashing his trademark grin he rallied enough to shoot off a repost of his own.

"Want your best man at your side, hey Boss?"

"Case you hadn't noticed DiNozzo," Gibbs returned dryly. "Right now, you are my only man."

"Gotta count for something."

Gibbs looked up and met his eyes, allowing himself a rare, fond, smile. DiNozzo was a keeper alright; the only way he would let his senior field agent go would be to head his own team when the time came.

"Yeah, guess it does, DiNozzo, I guess it does."

* * *

It felt strange to Gibbs to be working on his boat in the middle of a weekday. Even so, he had to admit that the down time was doing him good. As he stepped back and surveyed his work with satisfaction, he managed a smile. He had a good feeling about this boat. He thought he might actually finish this one. Pulling off his work gloves with his teeth, he wandered over to the workbench and picked up his coffee mug. He had only taken a sip when he heard footsteps overhead. 

"Director," He straightened as the familiar figure made its way down the stairs. He had something of a history with Tom Morrow and the two men shared a mutual respect but, Gibbs wouldn't have said they were friends. Morrow had never been to his house before and, after the lengths he had gone to, to ensure that the ex-gunny took a vacation, he wouldn't have bothered him unless it was important. "Something wrong?"

As soon as Morrow stepped into the light he saw by his expression that, whatever it was, it was very bad. Even so, he was totally unprepared for what came out of the man's mouth.

"We've had a report from LVPD. The car DiNozzo rented went off the road between Palm Springs and Vegas over the edge of a cliff. It exploded on impact. There was no way he could have survived. I'm truly sorry, Jethro."


	2. Chapter 2

For the first time in a very long time, Gibbs had to take a moment to steady himself before he could walk into autopsy. His mind was full of questions but the grave expression on the MD's face as he comforted Abby suggested the only answer he didn't want to hear right now.

"Gibbs," As soon as she saw him Abby extricated herself from the MD and flung herself into his arms. "Thank goodness you're here. You can prove that it's not Tony. It's a trick or a plot or something. Anything, just so long as Tony's not actually dead."

"That's what I intend to find out, Abs."

At first, Gibbs had been furious to discover that the Director had delayed telling him about Tony's accident until CSI had finished their preliminary investigations. But now he was almost grateful if he meant he would get some answers sooner.

"Is it him, Duck?"

"I just finished talking to my counterpart in Las Vegas," Ducky advised him. "Thus far they've actually only definitively identified the car, which was rented in Washington DC to Anthony three days ago. They did find a sole occupant at the scene. I'm afraid the remains have been rather ravaged by the fire but their preliminary tests suggest that sex and height are a match."

"To DiNozzo and a good portion of the rest of the population," Gibbs wasn't ready to give up hope. "Did anybody actually try calling his cell?"

"First thing I did," Abby nodded. "No signal, which could just mean he's out of range. Or it could mean it's all fried up at the bottom of a canyon."

"What about DNA?"

"His recent surgery or rather a lack thereof might tell us something more quickly," Mallard allowed. "They are working as fast as they can, Jethro."

"I should have gone with him."

"You couldn't have prevented it, Jethro," Mallard counselled. "Apparently there was something wrong with the car. If you had been with Anthony you might both have both died."

Gibbs head came up sharply at that, his eyes narrowing. His first instinct on hearing the news had been to catch the next flight to Las Vegas to oversee the crime scene for himself. Only his gut feeling that the body might turn out not to be DiNozzo after all had kept him in Washington. Now at least, he had something to do.

"The car was tampered with?"

"No," Abby shook her head. "The car died of natural causes. Well, a lack of proper maintenance."

"Tony knows cars," Gibbs frowned. "Wouldn't he have spotted something like that?"

"It wasn't Tony's fault. You could never known the car was hinky just by looking at it but, it should have shown up in Rental company's checks. Unless, of course, they didn't do any."

"Yup?" Gibbs' face was expressionless. "That's criminal negligence, Abs."

He was already moving, covering the ground in long strides, his mind focused on the task ahead. He refused to think about DiNozzo. About what it might have been like in those last few seconds as he realised the car was out of control, the moment of horror as it launched itself over the edge and those last few seconds of eerie calm as it floated to its evitable destruction.

He would have been alone. And scared.

"Duck, call me if there is any news."

He took Chris Pacchi and Cassie Yates with him to take down the rental company. He didn't even have to draw his Sig to have the owner and mechanic falling over themselves to give him want he wanted. The look in his eyes was enough to convince them that it was in their interest to offer up their paperwork and service records without a warrant.

Looking at DiNozzo's carefree, loping, signature, at the bottom of the rental form was surprisingly painful. Looking at the other forms, Gibbs was aware that he was willing grief and pain on one of those families but, he still clung to the hope that it wasn't DiNozzo.

"How did these death traps get on the road, Chris?" He wanted to know.

"Mostly, it's a legitimate business," Pacchi shrugged. "When things got busy over the holiday they thought they would make a little extra money and pulled out a couple from the back lot that weren't exactly ready to roll. Weasel face over there confirmed that they rented those cars to three drivers. All male. A detective with Washington PD, a fitness instructor and DiNozzo. "

"They rented dodgy cars to a Federal Agent and a cop?" Gibbs shook his head.

"I've got Cassie tracking down the families of the other two drivers. See if either of them were planning on heading to Vegas. You have any idea where DiNozzo was planning on going?"

"Not a clue," Gibbs sighed. "Can I leave this with you? I'll head over to DiNozzo's place, see if I can find a paper trail."

Normally, he'd prefer to hang the bastards who were responsible for this out to dry personally. But right now, all he could focus on was finding DiNozzo. He knew if Tony died during this window because he hadn't been able to warn him in time, he would never be able to live with himself. He was half way to to Tony's apartment, thinking about the Mustang, sitting forlornly in its usual spot, when his phone rang, flashing Ducky's ID.

He had to pull over before he could bring himself to answer.

"Gibbs."

"It's not Anthony, Jethro."

It took a moment before he could find his voice. Not ashamed of the tears of relief that stung his eyes.

"Then who the hell is it, Duck?"

"Our poor unfortunate is a gentleman called Thomas Winter. He was of a similar age and stature to Anthony. A Detective with Washington PD as it happens."

"The rental company must have messed up the paperwork," Abby guessed. "But Gibbs, if that car was hinky, then maybe the one Tony is driving is too."

"Tell me something I don't know. Tony say anything to you about where he was going, Abs?"

"Not a thing."

"It was all rather unexpected," Ducky put in. "He wouldn't have had much time to make plans."

"Ask around see if he said anything to anyone. Check his emails, see if he brought any plane tickets, or booked a Hotel. Chase down his latest girlfriend, call his frat brothers, get in touch with his partner at Baltimore PD. Get legal to put out a BOLO, alert the Police and Hospitals. Let's find him, Abs."

"What are you going to do, Jethro?" Ducky asked.

"I'm on my way to Tony's apartment to see if I can find anything there."

Gibbs used his key to let himself into Tony's apartment. He rarely came here, except to swing by and pick DiNozzo up, or collect some things when he was in the Hospital. Occasionally, Tony would play host, coaxing Gibbs into watching some DVD or other, while he made dinner. The kid was a pretty good cook when he had someone to cook for.

He knew Tony liked his place better. The younger man always seemed more settled and relaxed, as he helped with the boat, or carried on a running conversation as he washed up their few dishes after dinner. Padding around in jeans and barefeet he was remarkably inobtrusive and almost painfully grateful for Gibbs simple hospitality. Too damm grateful, Gibbs winced, as he remembered the last time Tony had stayed with him.

The apartment looked pretty much like it usually did. There was a pile of actions DVDs stacked on the coffee table, alongside a pile of magazines, criminal and navy titles mixed in among the predicable men's glossies. The fridge had been cleared out, the plants stood in water in the shower, and the bins emptied.

"Not just a weekend away." Gibbs surmised.

As far as Gibbs could tell DiNozzo had packed jeans and casual gear from his wardrobe. Two pairs of trainers were missing and Gibbs seemed to remember a pair of brown leather loafers or such like that weren't here but, all his expensive designer shoes were present and correct. In the bathroom, he'd taken the basics but his expensive colognes and even his razor were still there.

"Going stag, DiNozzo?" Gibbs murmured.

Nothing else was out of place. There was no phone messages, tickets, maps, notes, anything that might give some clue as to where Tony was going. All of which suggested to Gibbs that his destination was no more than a day's drive and that he was staying with good friends he didn't feel the need to impress.

Finally, he looked in the gun safe. DiNozzo had left his Sig and backup at home. Gibbs would decide whether or not to chew him out about that later. Obviously, wherever he was going on vacation he wasn't expecting trouble.

"Where the heck are you, DiNozzo?"

In normal circumstances he trusted Tony to look out for himself but, the idea that the kid was playing russian roulette with a car he didn't know was a possible death trap made him sick to his stomach. Having had a taste of what losing Tony might be like, he was dammed if he was going through that again. He broke his own record getting back to the office, hoping that the others had had better luck.

He had barely stepped out of the elevator into the bullpen, when Abby greeted him, almost bouncing up and down in her excitement. "Gibbs, I'm so glad you're here. I was just about to call you."

"Tell me you found, Tony."

"We found, Tony."

"He okay, Abs?"

Even as he asked, Gibbs knew he couldn't be. If there was nothing wrong with his senior field agent, DiNozzo would have called him on his cell as soon as Abby made contact. The forensic expert's next words only confirmed his suspicions.

"He's alive," Abby assured him. "According to the Police report, his car went off the road last night and hit a tree. Tony was taken to the local Hospital."

"Last night?" Gibbs stopped dead. "Why am I just hearing about this now?"

"It was an isolated road, Gibbs. I guess no-one passed by until this morning."

"How badly was he hurt?"

It wasn't like his senior field agent to sit around and wait for rescue. If he was mobile he would have tried to hike out, and even if he was injured he would have at least tried to make contact with somebody.

"That's the weird thing. His Doctor told Ducky that Tony's injuries were superficial but he won't give any more details until he's spoken to his next of kin. That would be you, Gibbs."

"Patch it through to MTAC. Have Ducky meet me there."

It only took a few moments for the MD to join him. As soon as he arrived, Gibbs nodded at the technician and a middle aged man dressed in a white coat, filled the screen. To Gibbs annoyance there was no sign of DiNozzo.

"I'm Special Agent Gibbs. Tony's Boss. This is Dr Mallard, his personal physician. Why am I not looking at my Agent, Doctor?"

"Special Agent Gibbs, Dr Mallard, I'm Dr Stuart Michaels, I've been seeing to Agent DiNozzo's care. I'm afraid the situation is rather complicated."

"Define, complicated."

"Well, physically, Agent DiNozzo is fine. His broken arm wasn't further damaged by the crash. In fact, Tony was extremely fortunate he managed to escape with nothing more than a cut on the head. According to the police at the scene, he must be one heck of driver to have kept control of the car when it malfunctioned like that."

"Oh, indeed," Ducky nodded enthusiastically. "Anthony is a most accomplished driver. In fact, cars are something of a passion of his. He usually drives a particularly nice Mustang .."

"You said, physically he was fine, Doc." Gibbs cut in.

"Yes," Michaels frowned. "Has he had a particularly stressful time of things lately?"

Gibbs thought back to their recent work load. As a two man team they'd worked longer hours, took shorter breaks, sometimes trying to juggle several things at once, if he was honest the kid had been running on Pizza and fumes for weeks now.

"Maybe."

"I need you to understand, we can find no medical reason for this. The wound to his head was not serious, he was conscious when the EMTs reached the scene. All the scans have come back clear. I really don't know what's causing this."

"Causing what, exactly?" Gibbs snapped.

"Special Agent DiNozzo thinks he's ten years old. He's asking for his Dad."


	3. Chapter 3

"Has there been any change?" Gibbs asked as he walked down the hallway of the Hospital, with Dr Michaels at his side.

"I'm afraid not," The doctor shook his head. "He's perfectly lucid. And it's not like he's actually amnesic. He can remember how to work all kinds of modern technology, for example and he recognised the President. But if you ask him what year it is, he thinks it's the 1970's."

"Hasn't he noticed that he's a couple of feet taller than the average ten year old?" Gibbs demanded.

"If he has, he hasn't said anything," Michaels shrugged. "As I said before, Agent Gibbs there is no medical reason for his behaviour. I can only assume that the stress and pain of accident served as some sort of trigger. Was there was there some traumatic event at work that he might be dwelling on?"

"Traumatic event?" Gibbs eyed him keenly. "You mean besides being shot?"

"Well that might do it for your average Joe," The Doctor met his gaze. "Although, as a Federal Agent and former cop I'd assumed it wasn't his first time under fire. So that in itself doesn't really explain it."

"It might when he was shot by someone he trusted to watch his six," Gibbs was curt. "So, how do we fix him, Doc?"

"I wish I knew. It may just take something simple such as seeing a friend or family member, or he may need some counselling to get to the root of the problem before he feels safe to return to his normal life. If he feels secure that will definitely help," Michaels made a face. "I get the impression he doesn't much like Hospitals. It might help if we could discharge him. Is there any way you could bring his father here?"

"Not a good idea, Doc."

"Special Agent Gibbs," The Doctor paused, as if not quite sure how to phrase this. "You are listed as Agent DiNozzo's next of kin, so I can only assume that he trusted you with his life. But this is rather different from taking the responsibility to turn off his life support system. Physically, there is nothing more we can do for Tony. He might wake up better tomorrow, or it could be weeks, months, even years before he remembers, if he ever does. Are you sure there isn't a family member who might take him?"

"You're looking at him."

* * *

As he pushed open the door to the private room, Gibbs wasn't at all sure what he expected to see. The first thing he noticed was the bright, white, bandage on DiNozzo's head, although apart from that his senior field agent seemed otherwise unscathed. The second thing was the way Tony was sitting with his knees drawn up to his chest, biting his lip in concentration as he coloured a red Ferrari.

"DiNozzo."

The head came up instantly but Gibbs satisfaction at the automatic reaction was quickly tempered when he saw Tony's brow furrow into a small frown.

"You're not my father."

Gibbs sighed. If he was honest with himself he'd hoped that just the sight of him would be enough to bring DiNozzo back to himself. But everything about DiNozzo's guileless expression and suddenly guarded body language said differently.

"No, my name is Special Agent Gibbs of NCIS. You ever heard of them?"

"Is that like the FBI?"

"Kinda," Gibbs agreed. "Navy and Marine's version."

"Thomas Magnum was in the Navy," DiNozzo informed him seriously. "Now he's a private investigator and he solves all kinds of crimes. When I grow up I'm going to do that too."

"You want to help me with my investigation?" Gibbs offered.

"Can I?" Tony's face lit up.

"Sure," Gibbs smiled. "I'm trying to find out what happened to you. So, I need you to tell me everything you can remember about the accident. Can you do that?"

"Why are you trying to find out about me?" Tony frowned. "I'm not in the Navy or the marines. And nor is my Dad. Are you sure you have the right, kid?"

"Well, let's see," Gibbs tried to keep to the facts. "Your name is Anthony David DiNozzo of the Long Island DiNozzo's, Your birthday is in July. You don't have sisters. Your Dad is a businessman. Your favourite food is Pizza and you are a real movie buff."

"I'm not allowed to eat junk food," Tony surprised him. "But the rest is true. If you know so much about me, why would you need my help?"

"Can you remember anything, from before the accident?"

"The cops asked me that," Tony frowned. "I couldn't tell them anything,"

"What do you remember?"

"I woke up and my head hurt and my arm was aching. It was dark and it was really quiet. I managed to get out of the car but then I got real dizzy. I sat down on the ground for a bit and then I took a look around. But I couldn't see anything for miles and miles. So, I ate the candy bar in my pocket and sat as far away from the car as I could, in case it exploded, like in the movies, and waited for someone to come by.

"You didn't try to go for help?"

"I figured if I stayed by the car, George would know where to find me." Tony nodded. "Or one of those St Bernard dogs like they use where we go ski-ing. I asked for one of those from my Aunt last Christmas but, I got an Encyclopaedia instead."

Gibbs knew for a fact that DiNozzo's cell had been found broken on the floor of the damaged car. He had brought his newly requisitioned cell with him. With no sense of where he was and no way to call for help, staying by the car had been a good call. If he had stumbled around in the woods it could have been days before he was found.

"Who's George?"

"He's my Dad's chauffer. He takes me to school and to camp sometimes. Any place I have to go."

"You remember why you were coming here?"

"No," Tony looked chagrined. "I'm not being a lot of help, am I, Special Agent Gibbs?

"You're doing fine." Gibbs assured him.

"I do know I haven't been here before," Tony surprised him. "In the summer we usually go someplace hot when my Dad takes vacations. But he was talking about buying a Yacht, so maybe that's why I was coming here."

Gibbs dutifully wrote that down although, he wasn't sure it was relevant. Whatever reason the adult DiNozzo had for coming here, it could be light years away from his vacations as a child. "Then what happened?"

"I must have fallen asleep, because when I woke up it was daylight and I heard all these sirens and then there were people there asking me all these questions and shining lights at me and then they saw the blood and brought me to the Hospital."

"That's a good job, DiNozzo."

Gibbs was surprised when Tony made a face.

"Something bothering you?"

"That's what they call me at school. And now its summer vacation. I shouldn't even have to think about school for weeks and weeks."

"Oh," Gibbs couldn't yet quite take this child like version of his senior field agent seriously and he wasn't above having a little amusement at his expense. "Tony then. You've got a bunch of signatures on your cast there, Tony. You want me to sign that for you?"

"You can't," Tony shook his head. "It's full already. Nurse Emma signed it. So, did Nurse Julie and Nurse Rachel wrote her telephone number and said I should call her when I'm better."

"What about right there?" Gibbs suggested, pointing at a space.

"No," Tony put his hand protectively over the spot. "I'm saving that for my Dad. That's where he's going to sign when he comes," He swallowed hard, suddenly looking a lot less brave and self assured. "Will he be here soon?"

"Tony," Suddenly, none of this seemed so funny after all. He knew dammed well that the adult DiNozzo would not welcome his father at his bedside. Especially, seeing him like this. But it seemed cruel to the child he presently thought he was to let him wonder where his father was. "Your father had to go out of the country unexpectedly on business, he asked me to look after you for a while until he gets back."

"Like a bodyguard?" Tony's eyes widened. "You said this was an accident."

"It is and I'm not a bodyguard, I'm just someone who's going to look out for you for a while until we can sort this mess out."

"Please couldn't you just call my Dad and tell him to come? You're a Federal Agent, he has to do as you say," Tony's voice was scared now. "I can't go home. Maria won't be there. No one will be. Dad always gives the house staff time off when we go on vacation. He says it's the only way to keep good help and I_ really _don't want to stay in the Hospital."

"I know. Look, I'll try and get hold of your Dad, okay?" Gibbs hated making false promises but hopefully by the time that became an issue DiNozzo would be back to his old self again. "In the meantime, what do you say we spring you from here?"

"I suppose could go to Drew's house," Tony sounded bitterly disappointed. "They already asked me but my Dad promised me we'd spent this vacation together but I guess somthing more important came up."

"Tony." Gibbs sighed. For once he was at a loss for words. He knew that Tony's father was a hard and demanding man who hadn't deserved this bright and eager child, so desperate for his time and attention.

"Its OK," Tony forced a note of cheer into his voice. "I can just look after myself. When I was in Hawaii last I took care of myself for three days until George came to fetch me. I know how to call room service and use the TV remote. You don't need to stay with me. I'm used to being by myself, especially since .." He bit at his lip with a guilty expression as his eyes teared up.

Something in his tone reminded Gibbs that Tony's mother had died some time around this age. By the look in the younger man's eyes he was feeling that grief as raw and fresh as when it first happened.

"How long has it been?" He asked with soft understanding. "Since your Mom died?"

"Three months." Tony said quietly.

Inwardly, Gibbs sighed, as he went to place a supportive hand on his shoulder and squeeze gently, only to have Tony turn to look at him in some surprise for the gesture. Regarding him seriously for a long moment, he confided.

"My Dad doesn't like it when I talk about my Mom. He says we have to move on. We don't live in that house any more and he's star ted seeing this new lady called Caroline. She has long red finger nails and bright red lips. She always wants to kiss me and my Dad gets mad when I don't want her to. I think he's going to marry her."

Gibbs clenched his jaw. When he came up here he hadn't had a plan, past hoping that DiNozzo would miracolously snap to, or failing that, drag his butt back to Washington to see if the familiar sights would do the trick. Except now, his gut was screaming at him that this was far more than a simple bump on the noggin.

What Tony needed, he wasn't gong to find in Washington.

There was one other possibility.

"Tell you what, why don't we have a vacation of our own?" Gibbs offered. "If we get a Hotel for tonight, I bet tomorrow we could charter a boat around here someplace. You can be my crew. Would you like that?"

The first time Tony had mentioned at a crime scene that he knew how to sail Gibbs had been surprised. One of the local LEOs had made a comment about rich kids who thought steering Daddy's boat twice around the harbour made then an expert. But when that guy had turned out to be the murderer and cast then adrift in a small boat in the mother of all storms DiNozzo had shown what he was made of alright.

"_Not bad, DiNozzo," Gibbs had grinned when they had made harbour two hours later, exhausted and soaked to the skin but alive. "Not bad at all. Your father teach you that?"_

_The grin that had blossomed on the kid's face at the fullsome praise vanished in an instant as he stepped out onto the quay and tied up the boat with short, angry, movements. He wouldn't look at Gibbs._

"_My father was usually too drunk to teach me much of anything."_

It wasn't as if they had that many weekends free but, after that, whenever they had a day here or there they would take a boat out. DiNozzo was different out on the water and it hadn't taken Gibbs long to work out this was one of the few parts of his life that hadn't been tainted by his father.

"Can I?" Tony grinned now. "Don't worry about the cast. It won't be a problem. One time, I hurt my wrist playing baseball and I still managed to climb the pine tree in our back yard with only one hand. My Mom was so scared she threatened to call the fire department again."

"Again, huh?" Gibbs grinned at that. There was definitely a story there. "You just stay put for a minute, alright? I'll be right back."


	4. Chapter 4

AN- Thanks for all the reviews, it was a quirky idea but I'm happy people are liking it, I have to go away so look for the next update on Friday.

* * *

Gibbs was grateful that Mallard picked up on the second ring. Briefly he outlined what little information Michaels had been able to give him. Then he asked a question of his own.

"Duck, has Tony ever broken that arm before?"

"Jethro, you know I can't discuss something from Anthony's medical records without his consent." Mallard sighed.

"I'll take that as a yes." Gibbs said dryly.

A second quick call to Chris Pacchi reassured him that the NCIS Agent had the investigation into the rental company neatly wrapped up. The other car had been located before the fitness instructor was injured and the owner and mechanic were begging to cut a deal.

"How's DiNozzo doing?" Pacchi asked.

Gibbs turned slightly, so he could look at his senior field agent through the glass of the door. They had kept the nature of his condition need to know. DiNozzo was already on medical leave and with any luck he'd be back to normal before it ever became an issue.

"Minor head injury, he's gonna be fine." Gibbs refused to consider any other outcome.

"Well, you give him my best."

Gibbs snapped the phone shut without replying, as his eyes caught the flash of sunlight off a blade, as DiNozzo twirled it dangerously around and around in his fingers. He was back in the room and at the side of the bed, before he realised it.

"Hey! Give me that!" He snatched it out of the air.

"Its mine," Tony protested. "It was in my shirt pocket."

"Yeah, well, how about I keep it safe, for you?" Gibbs tone brooked no arguments as he tucked the knife in his pants. "You can have it back .. in about twenty years."

"I wasn't going to stab anyone," Tony sulked. "I was just touching it."

"Touch it again and I'll break your fingers."

The words were uttered casually. He was so accustomed to chastising DiNozzo in that manner, that he didn't even think about what he had said. The threats never carried real heat and he would never dream of acting upon them. He wasn't prepared for the way Tony paled and bit his lip as he pushed himself back against the headboard, trying to get as far as he could get from the Federal Agent, whist remaining in the Hospital bed, his eyes wide with fear. Gibbs suddenly felt like a complete bastard.

"Aw, heck," Gibbs took off his cap and ran a hand through his hair. "Tony, I didn't mean that."

Tony continued to regard him with fear and suspicion and Gibbs could hardly blame him. He had certainly sounded like he meant it. He couldn't expect anyone working with a ten year old's perception to tell the difference between a real threat and the coded way he and DiNozzo expressed their affection for each other.

Or maybe he could.

"Look, in my line of work I'm used to having someone who watches out for me. A partner. You trust them with your life, you know what they are thinking, they're like family to you, so sometimes you might yank their chain a little but, only because you both know it doesn't mean squat. Right now, you're that person for me."

"_I'm_ your partner?" Tony asked disbelievingly.

"Uh huh. You know how Magnum has his buddies?" After almost two years of working with DiNozzo, Gibbs had picked up a working knowledge of the Detective series in spite of himself. "It's sort of like that."

"Oh," Tony's face lit up as he ran with the idea. "I could be Rick, I can't be Higgins because he's too old, or Robin Masters, because no-one is sure he actually exists, which only leaves TC, who is really cool but, I don't know how to fly a helicopter and I can play the piano real well, just like Rick."

"You can?" Gibbs was surprised. DiNozzo had kept that talent well hidden.

"My Mom used to take me," Tony looked reflective. "I used to hate it but now I kind of miss it. My Dad won't let me go, he thinks it's for girls. He wants me to play sports."

"Here," Gibbs took off his NCIS cap and placed it gently on DiNozzo's head. "If you're going to be my partner you'd better look the part."

"Wow," Tony beamed. "Thanks Special Agent Gibbs."

"You call me, Boss."

"Okay, Boss," Tony agreed easily. "You can call me Rick."

"Something wrong with Tony?" Gibbs asked dryly.

"I guess not," He agreed cheerfully. "So can we get out of here, Boss?"

"Yeah," Gibbs whapped him playfully on the peak of the cap, causing the younger man to let out a peal of actual giggles. Better, Gibbs thought. He might not know much about psychiatry but he knew what DiNozzo needed. "Let's go see what the Docs have done with your stuff."

The first thing Gibbs did was find a likely looking diner, pulling into the lot of a small, independent place with an odd feeling of coming home. He knew DiNozzo had spent a lot of time in places like this as a cop so his wide-eyed wonder was something of a reality check. Not for the first time, Gibbs felt a warm respect for the way DiNozzo had balanced his privileged upbringing with the demands of life as a law enforcement officer.

He quirked a brow as Tony frowned, in great concentration, at the fairly straightforward menu.

"Something bothering you?

"There are so many Pizzas," Tony admitted. "I don't know which one to choose."

"Just pick your favourite and go with that."

"I don't exactly have a favourite. We don't really go to places that serve Pizza and the last time I tried to order in the delivery boy got caught by Tom, our security guard and my Dad got mad."

"Pepperoni, Sausage and extra cheese," Gibbs decided for him. "Trust me you've going to love it."

They didn't talk much as they waited for the food to arrive, Tony sat, hardly fidgeting at all, and he was a lot quieter than Gibbs was used to. Part of him reflected that the elder DiNozzo had the kid really well trained. The other part of him missed the easy confidence of his Agent's irrrepressive nature.

"Oh wow," Tony's face lit up, at the sight of the enormous disc of pizza although, he still waited politely until Gibbs also had his meal.

"Dig in." Gibbs encouraged.

He needed no more invitation but, to Gibbs surprise, he picked up his knife and fork and begun cutting clumsily at the thick crust, failing to work with the cast as he sent a small piece of Pizza flying across the room and attracting the attention of other diners.

"Sorry." Tony gave him a nervous look, before biting his lip and cutting at the next piece with increased concentration and determination. But the knife-edge was too blunt to do the job effectively and, just as he got to the last cut the blade slipped, sending another piece flying.

"Give me your plate." Gibbs ordered.

Tony's face fell, as he curled his arm protectively around his prize, looking at the Agent with pleading eyes. "No, please. I'll be more careful."

"Hey," Gibbs deliberately gentled his tone. "I'm not going to take it. I'm just going to cut it up for you."

His face still dark with distrust, Tony nonetheless edged the plate carefully across the table, Gibbs gave him an encouraging smile, making short work of cutting up the pizza, before returning the meal.

"Pick the pieces up with your fingers."

Tony glanced at him, a spark of mischief appearing in his eyes, as he nudged the plate ever so slightly in Gibbs direction.

"You first."

Gibbs lip quirked slightly at the challenge. Even at ten, DiNozzo could still surprise him. Picking up one of the pieces, he very slowly and deliberately lowered it down his throat, aware of the childish, round-eyed stare watching the proceedings with glee.

"Your turn."

"This is fun," Tony lifted a slice and hung it vertically as he chewed off the end. " I wish I could do this with my Dad."

"You don't get to hang out with your Dad, much?"

"Not like this," Tony shook his head. "After Mom died, he started taking to his CWR weekends but, those are no fun at all. He won't let me fire a gun or take part in the battles, or do any of the cool stuff. Most of the time he just drinks with his buddies and hardly even notices I'm there. When I asked if I could actually do something he gave me this stupid job," Tony's expression darkened. "Just because I'm not top of my class in everything in school he thinks I can't do anything."

Gibbs, who knew exactly what task DiNozzo had thought, fitting for his son, clenched his jaw at the waste of all that enthusiasm and potential. And then he had an idea. It couldn't hurt and it might just help DiNozzo remember who and what he really was.


	5. Chapter 5

After the Pizza, a large slice of chocolate fudge cake, and two glasses of chocolate milk Tony was finally satisfied. Paying the bill Gibbs drained his coffee and led the way out of the diner.

"Where are we going now, sir?" Tony asked politely.

Gibbs stopped and put a hand on each of Tony's shoulders, looking the kid straight in the eyes as he spoke. "You call me Boss or Gibbs. Not sir. I work for a living. Understood?"

"Yes sir." DiNozzo nodded fervently.

Gibbs raised a brow. Tony looked at him innocently. Gibbs sighed. Lord knows he had never been able to break the adult Tony out of the habit of calling him sir. He remembered how Vivian had called him on it once.

"_DiNozzo," Gibbs had swept into the bullpen, interrupting whatever it was his Agents were laughing about. "Get down to Abby and see if she has made any progress with those fibres."_

"_And a "Good Morning" to you, too, sir."_

"_Now, DiNozzo."_

"_Yes, sir. Right away, sir."_

"_Why do you let him get away with that?" Vivian had asked, as soon as Tony had disappeared into the elevator. "Calling you 'sir' I mean. You don't let anyone else do that."_

"_DiNozzo's different."_

It had been all the explanation Gibbs had been prepared to give her. In their first weeks and months of working together he had tried hard to break DiNozzo of the habit, until he had finally realised that Tony saw it as a filial sign of respect, willingly granting him the mode of address his own father had demanded and Tony had stubbornly withheld since he was disinherited, aged twelve.

After he'd worked that out, he'd always been a little bit pleased whenever Tony called him "Sir".

His badge got then into the local police firing range. Gibbs led DiNozzo, now almost bubbling with excitement down the line, until they were as far from the other shooters as possible.

"Alright, listen to me. Are you listening?"

"Yes Boss." Tony nodded seriously.

"This is a lethal weapon. You do exactly as I say, understood?"

It felt odd to be laying down the law to his senior field agent. A man whose aim had saved his life more than once but, DiNozzo's wide eyed expression and earnest nodding couldn't help but bring out his paternal instincts. He wasn't about to take any chances.

"Good," Gibbs took out his Sig and stood behind Tony. "Put your feet here and here. Spread your weight, a little more. That's it. Now take the gun in your right hand, we're gonna have to work around the cast, so I'll be your left hand, which goes right here. Okay?"

"Uh huh." Tony sounded breathless, nervous and excited all at once.

"Now point the gun at the target and release the safety, right here, and squeeze the trigger just like I told you. Don't jerk it. Ready?"

With a bit of help, DiNozzo executed a fair to middling range of scores, well below his usual standard but enough to confirm to Gibbs that his body still knew what to do with the business end of a Sig. He couldn't help but grin at his wide-eyed delight, as he proudly, clutched the paper target of his best scores

"Nice grouping, partner."

"Now I'm a real NCIS Agent," Tony looked at him expectantly. "Can I have my own gun?"

"Sure you can," Gibbs unlocked the car, trying to hide his own disappointment that the sights and smells of the range hadn't triggered any kind of memory. "Just as soon as you can tell me what rule twelve is."

He decided to take DiNozzo down to the Marina. In truth, he was still at a loss as to what his senior field agent had been doing in this town. According to the Police report, the car still had plenty of gas and the accident had happened too late at night for DiNozzo to have been looking for a place to eat, or simply passing through. DiNozzo wasn't stupid enough to have been trying to drive through the night. Not straight out of the Hospital, with an arm that would still have been giving him problems.

If he had been looking for a place to stay He should have been across town, where a collection of mid priced to high end Hotels nestled in the curve of the bay. The only reason Gibbs could think of that he had been on that isolated road, was that he was visiting with someone here. It hadn't been twenty four hours yet. DiNozzo had been on vacation. His friends might just have assumed he'd made a stop, or met a girl, but sooner or later someone would start to worry. It wouldn't hurt to remind the local LEOs to keep him in the loop. As Gibbs brought the car to a halt on the waterfront he pulled out his cell.

"Oh wow," Tony sat up eagerly. "Is our boat going to look like that?"

"Maybe, why don't you go take a closer look? Stay where I can see you. I just have a call to make."

Concentrating on dialling, he didn't see the look of resignation on the younger man's face as he left. It only took a few minutes to make the call, the locals were pleased to help out in any way they could. However, when Gibbs looked up, DiNozzo was no-where to be seen.

At first, he thought Tony might have seen someone he recognised. As he climbed out of the car he reflected that, if he found his senior field Agent back to his normal self and sipping champagne with a bevy of beauties he was going to kill him. But after a while, his anger and frustration at his subordinate began to melt into the fear and worry of a parent. DiNozzo couldn't look out for himself right now. There was no telling what might happen to him.

When saw the film the small movie theatre was showing, he felt relief and anger in equal measure. Sure enough, the kid was there, waiting patiently in line, towing him around a quiet corner he finally let all his frustration loose.

"Damn it, DiNozzo. What the _hell_ were you thinking?"

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he realised he was addressing his ire to the considerably older version of DiNozzo, the one who turned his hair grey by disappearing on him on a regular basis. He would never have used those words to a real child. But to his surprise the ten-year-old modal didn't even blink at being spoken to so angrily.

"I just wanted to see the movie."

"And where did you get the money?" Gibbs made an effort to bring himself under control.

"I found it."

It occurred to Gibbs that the only reason his senior field agent couldn't lie to him was that he wasn't prepared to disappoint him. Certainly, this ten-year-old version was able to face him down with the kind of smooth conviction that DiNozzo usually reserved for his undercover operations. He grasped his chin firmly.

"Hey! Partners do not lie to one another."

"I'm not!" Tony's face grew red with anger and upset as he jerked his chin out of the ex-marine's grasp. "You said partners trusted each other. But you're just like my Dad. Whenever, I get in trouble in school, he never believes me he always takes the teacher's side, even if it was some other kid. I hate you."

"Hey!" Gibbs called after him as he ran off. "Hold up!"

Tony was fast but, Gibbs read the ground better cutting around in front of him so that the kid barrelled into him, as Gibbs seized him firmly by his good arm.

"Ow, let go me of me. Get off me!" Tony demanded, his voice rising to a pitch of fear, even as he kicked viciously at the ex-marine's shins. If this had been the adult Tony Gibbs would have taken him down. Hard. But the look of genuine terror in those all too vulnerable eyes made Gibbs gut twist. No ten year old should have reason to look that scared.

"Easy, easy." He soothed, wrapping both arms around the younger man and effectively holding him in place. "Its alright, calm down, I'm not going to hurt you."

Unable to free himself, Tony stopped struggling but, held himself stiffly in the ex-gunny's embrace, keeping his own hands at his side and his face averted, he eyes fixed firmly on the ground, even as he trembled slightly in Gibbs grasp.

"Tony," Gibbs knew he had to ask. "What happened to your arm?"

The brown eyes turned to look at him and there was a mixture of challenge and contempt in Tony's expression as he raised his chin and answered defiantly in a tone that dared the ex-marine to say otherwise.

"I fell."

Gibbs sighed. He'd deserved that. DiNozzo was never going to confide in him until he could convince him he was worthy of his trust. And he had just screwed that up pretty royally. Except, Tony had a very well balanced sense of justice and his adult self wasn't one to hold a grudge. Maybe there was a simple way to at least make this better. It was worth a shot.

"Look, you were right. I should have trusted you," Gibbs put every ounce of sincerity he could muster into his tone and expression. "I'm sorry, partner."

Tony blinked nervously, the look in his eyes heartbreakingly hopeful. As he titled his head on one side, wanting to trust but not quite daring to believe, Gibbs was acutely reminded of the moment in Baltimore, when he had stood in that Baltimore squad room and offered Dectective DiNozzo a transfer to NCIS.

"You really mean that?"

"Wouldn't have said it otherwise." Gibbs risked a smile.

Tony nodded solemnly. "I forgive you," He decided. "But I think you owe me an ice-cream. You know, just to show that you really, really, mean it."

"An ice-cream, huh?" Gibbs couldn't hide his smirk of pride at how neatly the younger man tried to turn the situation to his advantage. Although, the speed of his apparently 'recovery' set alarm bells ringing. "I thought you wanted to see the movie?"

"Can I?" Tony looked pleased. "It's not that long and you could come back and pick me up, right here. I promise I wouldn't move or talk to strangers or anything."

Again, Gibbs felt a wave of irritation that as a child Tony apparently saw nothing wrong with being passed from place to place and adult to adult like a parcel. Did none of his caregivers even take the opportunity just to spend time with the boy? All at once, Gibbs had a new and greater toleration for Tony's incessant TV and movie trivia as he imagined him being left for hours to be entertained by people who didn't even exist.

"I meant we'd go see it together. The both of us."

"Really?" Tony beamed. "That would be so cool."

As they walked back together, Gibbs kept his voice conversational. He'd already screwed up enough for one day but he simply wasn't used to DiNozzo not following orders.

"You want to tell me why you didn't stay where I could see you?"

"I'm sorry," Tony made a face. "When my Dad makes calls, he's on the phone for hours and hours, I'm always back before he misses me."

"Well, you stay where I can see you, partner, or I'll get you a leash." Gibbs took care to tousle his hair so that he appreciated that the warning was born out of affection rather than anger. "Understood?"

"I've got your six, Boss" Tony grinned guilelessly, totally unaware of what those words coming out of his mouth did to the Marine. When he saw Gibbs stricken look he hastened to explain. "I saw that in a movie once, it means.."

"Yeah, I know what it means, Tony," Gibbs voice was quiet as he let his hand slip to the back of his Agent's neck and kept it there. "You always do, DiNozzo. You always do."


	6. Chapter 6

Sitting beside DiNozzo as he munched on a large bag of candy and kept up a running commentary on the action on the screen, Gibbs could almost believe that nothing was wrong. Much as he liked the kid, looking across at his Agent's profile, he found he missed his senior field agent. There weren't enough people in his life that he could trust absolutely and there were even fewer who could make his heart glad. As they emerged from the movie theatre he blinked hard against the light.

"It's getting late. Best see about finding a place to stay for the night."

"I'm not sleepy," Tony protested. "And it's not even dark yet."

"That's because it's summer," Gibbs pointed out. "If you were on a Navy ship, you'd have to get used to going to bed at any time. Its called 'hot bunking' you have a whole bunch of guys all sharing one bunk, each taking a different watch, when one rolls out, another falls in."

"That's scummy." Tony made a face.

"That's the Navy for you."

Not yet willing to give up, Tony tried a different approach. "I can't go to bed yet. I'm still hungry."

"Still hungry, huh?" Gibbs hid a smile, knowing his senior field agent that might not be too far away from the truth.

"We could have ice-cream," Tony offered. "I'm paying."

"You are?"

"Sure, we're partners," With a proud grin Tony pulled off his shoe and turned it upside down, swivelling the heel to display a hollow centre and a small stack of folded bills. "See, I told you I found it. Isn't it cool? That must be my allowance for a whole year!"

"Not bad, DiNozzo," Gibbs murmured in praise of his senior field agent. "Not bad at all."

"So, can we get ice-cream?" Tony asked excitedly.

"With chocolate sauce and sprinkles," Gibbs agreed. "Then we find a room. Deal?"

"Deal."

As Gibbs pushed open the door to the modest Hotel room, Tony looked around curiously, taking in the two Queen sized beds, looking into the bathroom and peering out onto the balcony, before asking.

"Where are you going to sleep?"

"I don't mind," Gibbs allowed. "Pick a bed."

"You're going to sleep in here with me?" Tony grinned. "It'll be like a sleep over. I've never had a sleep over. Usually, when we stay in a Hotel I have my own room, way down the hall."

"Sounds pretty lonely." Gibbs fished.

"Its OK," Tony shrugged. "I can call room service for whatever I want and I get to watch TV in bed."

"Yeah?" Gibbs tossed him the remote. "Knock yourself out."

"Cool."

"I'm going to have a shower. Do not leave the room. Do not use or answer the phone. Do not go out on to the balcony. Do not touch the microwave or the mini bar, or set off the sprinklers. I leave anything out?"

"I'll be good," Tony assured him. "I won't even move or breath or anything."

Gibbs was pretty sure that if Tony just stayed still for long enough, he'd be out like a light. Sure enough, by the time he emerged from the bathroom, the younger man's eyelids were already drooping. He dug out t-shirt, shorts and toiletries from the packed bag the local LEO's had found in the trunk of the rental.

"Front and centre, DiNozzo," he spoke fondly. "Go wash up."

"'M not sleepy," Tony yawned and stretched, rubbing at his eyes as he climbed off the bed and headed towards the bathroom. "There's a James Bond film on later. Sean Connery. He's the best Bond. I bet being an NCIS Agent is just like that."

While he was in the bathroom, Gibbs pulled down the covers on his bed. By the time he emerged Tony could barely keep his eyes open. He let Gibbs take his clothes from him, before he crawled gratefully between the clean, soft, cotton sheets.

"Goodnight sir." Tony said dutifully.

Gibbs shook his head, remembering how Kelly would bounce into bed demanding both story and kisses. He resisting the urge to tousle his hair and kiss him on the forehead. If DiNozzo remembered any of this, the kid was already going to be as embarrassed as hell.

"G'night partner."

He reached over and turned out the bedside lamp, before straightening up. Carefully folding DiNozzo's clothes he laid them on a chair, tucking the shoes underneath, before switching off the main light. He sat reading for a while, by the soft light of his torch, until he was sure that DiNozzo was sleeping soundly before turning in himself. He wasn't sure how long he'd been asleep when some instinct brought him awake. Turning his head, his chest tightened as he saw the empty bed.

"Damn."

Rising quietly, he looked quickly around the room DiNozzo's clothes were still neatly folded on the chair, the shoes still in place. The bathroom door was open and the light was off. The door to the balcony was firmly closed, Gibbs' eyes flicked back. Closed but not locked.

"I'm going to kill him."

Stepping out onto the balcony, he was ready to tear DiNozzo off a strip for disobeying a direct order until he saw the way the younger man was curled up in a corner, his shoulders shaking as he silently sobbed his heart out. Gibbs could honestly say, he had never seen DiNozzo cry before.

"Hey," He spoke gently, not wanting to startle him. "You OK?"

He didn't miss the way Tony froze, before drawing in a long, shuddering breath and clamping down on his tears like turning off a tap. A hand scrubbed ineffectually at his face before Tony sniffed.

"I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't," Gibbs attempted to reassure. "You have a bad dream?"

Tony nodded.

"You want to tell me about it?" Gibbs encouraged.

Tony hesitated. But then he shook his head, climbing awkwardly to his feet, testament to how long he had sat on the cold, hard, ground, and walked back into the room and climbed obediently back into bed without being asked.

"I'm fine now. You can go back to sleep." He announced.

"You first." Gibbs challenged softly.

In truth DiNozzo looked like sleep was the last thing he wanted to do. His eyes were red rimmed and still haunted by whatever images he was seeing in his mind's eye. His face was as pale as a ghost and he was trembling slightly, although whether from fear or cold, Gibbs couldn't tell.

"Think some hot chocolate might help?"

Tony's eyes widened slightly and he nodded softly. Encouraged, Gibbs turned towards the small kitchenette pulling out the packets of powder, talking as he worked.

"My Dad always used to make this with cream and marshmallows but, I guess we'll have to make do. I'll just put an extra spoonful of sugar in yours."

Once they each had their hands wrapped around a comforting mug, Gibbs flipped on the TV until he found some re-runs of a cheesy series Tony seemed to enjoy, settling back against the headboard beside him, Gibbs put his free arm around the kid's shoulders, grateful when Tony moved slightly closer, squirreling in under his arm.

"Tell me about the dream." Gibbs murmured, as if it was of no account, keeping his eyes on the screen as he took a sip of his drink.

"I'm not even sure if I remember it right," Tony stalled. "It's all mixed up."

"Why don't we start with what you do remember?" Gibbs nudged.

"There was this warehouse," Tony surprised him. "It was dark and it smelled real bad. And this lady had a gun. I knew she was going to shoot me. Then my Dad was there and I thought he was going to help me. But he got hold of my arm and he shook me really hard and I heard a gunshot and my arm hurt really bad and my Dad said it was all my fault and I must never tell anyone. It would never have happened if I could do what I was told."

"Aw hell," Gibbs ran a hand over his face. He knew better than most what grief and alcohol could do to a man but he couldn't forgive Tony's father for taking out his pain on the one person who needed him the most. "I'm sorry, partner."

"It was just a dream, right?" Tony looked up at him, his eyes wide and vulnerable. "My Dad wouldn't really hurt me like that."

"You don't remember?" Gibbs frowned.

Tony shook his head.

"He's mostly too drunk to hurt anyone." He declared solemnly.

Gibbs sighed. He remembered the adult Tony saying something along those lines once. There was little doubt in his mind about what had happened. From the minute he had seen Tony in that Hospital bed he had suspected that Tony's amnesia was linked to some kind of childhood trauma. Ducky's not quite affirmation that DiNozzo had broken that arm before had only confirmed his suspicions. As had Tony's behaviour.

At the time, he had figured Tony had his own reasons for keeping the abuse quiet. He had never considered that the young man might have completely blanked it from his memory.

Things were even worse than he'd thought.


	7. Chapter 7

"Duck," Gibbs spoke low into his cell as he paced across the bathroom. "I don't know what to tell him. He dreamt about Vivian shooting him in the warehouse."

"Surely, that's a good sign," Mallard didn't see a problem. "It may indicate that his memory is returning."

"He doesn't remember squat," Gibbs vetoed that. "He thinks the whole thing is just one big nightmare. Including the part where his father shook his ten year old son so hard he broke his dammed arm."

"Jethro, you don't know for certain that's what happened. I imagine Anthony was a very excitable child. He could have broken his arm in any number of ways, playing sports, climbing a tree, the list is endless."

"You don't believe that any more than I do."

"I suppose it is possible that Anthony has buried the memory so deep that he genuinely doesn't recall that it ever happened," Ducky surmised. "It must have been a very traumatic experience for a ten year old, especially, one who was already grieving for his Mother. It may be that his unfortunate fate at Vivian's hands, in some way triggered the memory, resulting in his apparent regression."

"Both times he was hurt by someone he should have been able to trust."

"That's true," Ducky furrowed his brow, even though Gibbs couldn't see him. "Although, I suspect there are other factors in play. Have you been able to find out what he was doing at that particular location?"

"His ten year old self doesn't know. He says he's never been here before and my senior field Agent hasn't left me so much as trail of breadcrumbs to follow."

"Perhaps you should both just get some rest," Mallard counselled. "Maybe, things will look clearer in the morning."

"I guess you're right, Duck," Gibbs snapped his cell shut without saying goodbye and pushed opened the bathroom door. Tony was propped up against the headboard, glazed eyes staring fixedly at the flickering TV screen as he struggled to stay awake. "What do you say we call it a night, partner?" Gibbs suggested.

"You can go back to sleep if you want," Tony allowed. "I'll be quiet."

"You need your rest," Gibbs vetoed that. "Or have you forgotten you just got out of the Hospital?"

"I'm fine," Tony looked up at him, trying to hide the fear in his eyes at the prospect of surrendering to sleep and the spectre of another nightmare. "Please. I promise I'll just sit here. I won't make a sound."

In answer, Gibbs simply picked up the remote and clicked off the TV. As Tony watched with round eyes, he pulled back the covers and climbed into the bed beside him, stretching an arm out across the pillow in invitation.

"C'mere."

The look on Tony's face as he scooted over next to Gibbs was heartbreakingly vulnerable. As DiNozzo rested his head on his chest, Gibbs used his free hand to tousle his hair. "No more nightmares," He vowed softly. "Not on my watch."

He reached over to turn out the light and they lay there for a moment, their breathing synchronising in the darkness and then Tony's voice spoke.

"Boss?"

"Go to sleep, Tony."

"Yes, Boss."

Gibbs lay there for a few minutes waiting for the rebuttal. He knew Tony wasn't asleep but he was surprised that he had given up so easily. After a while his curiosity began to get the better of him. Which was what he suspected Tony had intended all along.

"What?" He asked at last.

To his credit there was not trace of smugness at his arch manipulation in Tony's tone as he responded. In fact, he sounded a little shy of all dammed things.

"Would you tell me a story?"

In the darkness Gibbs grinned. Pulling DiNozzo a little closer, he began to speak in a low, soft, voice, recalling from memory one of the stories his father used to tell him as a child, the simple act filling a long empty void in his own chest, even as it lulled DiNozzo into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

As usual, Gibbs was the first one up in the morning, letting Tony sleep on as he saw to his morning routine. As he showered, he tried to think of a way out of their current predicament. Maybe, some sort of appeal on the local news could see if anyone in the locality had ever even heard of Anthony DiNozzo.

"Boss?"

Gibbs stilled at the sound of his senior field Agent's voice, a little uncertain and more than a bit wary. Not daring to hope he stepped back into the bedroom, to see DiNozzo sitting up in bed, looking around him in evident confusion.

"What are you doing here?" Tony asked him. "Did we catch a case?"

"No case." Gibbs assured him. "How are you feeling?"

"O-kay," Tony answered cautiously, obviously taking mental stock, of the cast where he'd taken a bullet. The cut on his forehead where he must have hit his head when the rental's tyre blew and he went off the road and the fact that the pillow smelt of sawdust and .." "Oh crap."

"I take it you remember." Gibbs' lip quirked.

"Boss," Tony could feel his face flaming. He was never, _ever,_ going to live this down. "Just shoot me now. Please."

"Suck it up, DiNozzo. I already spent too much time this week thinking you were dead." Just uttering the words was hard and he knew his apparent lack of concern wouldn't get past DiNozzo's radar.

"Boss, I'm sorry."

Tony looked stricken on his account. Which wasn't what the ex-marine had been going for at all. Pasting a scowl on his face he crossed the room and raised his hand to whap the younger man on the back of the head, only to stop in mid motion.

Already wincing in anticipation of the blow, sometimes Gibbs hit harder than others, Tony slowly opened one eye when nothing happened, to see Gibbs looking at him with a mixture of frustration and consternation.

"Boss?"

"Why do you let me do that?"

Tony shifted slightly, uncomfortable with the subject matter. His mind was already flooded with some very embarrassing images, which he sincerely hoped were mostly the product of medication-fuelled hallucinations and now Gibbs was acting like he had actually been listening the last time they had had harassment in the workplace training, which was totally wrong, since Tony knew for a fact that ex-marine had been fast asleep in the chair next to him and no-one had dared call him on it.

"Its not a big deal."

It was. Of course, it was. It was a huge deal but it was bound up with Tony's need to be wanted and needed. It was a great big flashing neon sign that Gibbs had noticed that he had screwed up, or gone too far, or was actually present in the room at the time. And Tony really didn't feel like dealing with any of that right now.

"The hell it isn't. _He _hit you."

Gibbs eyes were hard and brittle and there was no doubt in Tony's mind, however addled it might feel who 'he' was. It wasn't like they hadn't had this particular conversation before.

"He never used his hand," Tony frowned. "You know that."

"I'm not talking about the times he paddled your behind, DiNozzo," Gibbs had some issues with the severity of punishment Tony's father had thought appropriate for a child but, if the boy had acted out to get attention he could hardly complain when he received it. "I'm talking about the time he shook you so hard he broke your arm."

"Boss," DiNozzo looked at him in utter bewilderment. "Viv broke my arm."

"Try again," Gibbs spoke softly, in the tone that said 'lie and die'. Tony searched his memory for anything that might explain why Gibbs was acting like this and hit on a memory that made his blood run cold.

Accustomed to reading his senior field Agent, Gibbs noted the moment DINozzo bought a clue. Only to see him frown in greater puzzlement and surge to his feet, crossing the room as if to try and put more space between himself and the images he was recalling.

"That was just a dream. It didn't happen like that."

"No?" Gibbs felt uncomfortably like he was leading a suspect through interrogation but his gut told him that DiNozzo needed to face this. "So, how did it happen?"

"I don't know, I fell out of a tree or off my horse, maybe I did it playing sports or when we were sk-ing."

"Which is it?" Gibbs pressed. "Tree, horse, sports or ski-ing?"

Tony frowned as he tried to remember. He recalled the weight of the cast. How much it itched in the late summer heat. Getting Judy Wilkinson to write her name on it in three different colours of pen at the Davies' tennis party. He just couldn't remember how it had happened.

"It wasn't him," Tony shook his head. "He was usually too drunk to hurt anyone."

"You don't sound too sure."

"I remember when he told me I'd end up in the gutter. I remember when he left me in the Maui Hilton," Tony shot back. "You think I'd just forget if he broke my arm?"

"I think maybe you don't want to remember."

"So, now, what? I'm crazy," Tony's eyes flashed hard and brittle, like a strangers. "You want to give a psych evaluation before you'll put me back out in the field?"

"You think you need one?" Gibbs asked levelly.

DiNozzo looked at him and it took everything he had for Gibbs to hold his nerve. To act as if this conversation was nothing more than them tossing around theories about their latest case, instead of delving into DiNozzo's presently fragile mental state.

"Dammed if I know," Tony ran a hand through his hair but, came up looking more like him self. "But I think I know a man in the neighbourhood who will."

Tony wanted to ask Gibbs to come along but, he had already taken up too much of his vacation time and at some point they would have to have that 'potential to die of embarrassment' conversation about the fact that he had fooled himself into believing that to all intents and purposes he was ten years old and for reasons that Tony wasn't entirely sure of and was afraid to examine too closely right now his ex-marine, second B is for Bastard, Boss had not only gone along with his delusion, he had taken it upon himself to take care of him when all he really needed to have done was see him safely checked into Bethesda.

"So?" Gibbs said simply. "What are we waiting for? Get your ass in gear."

"Boss, if you want to get back to the office .."

The head slap wasn't as hard as it might have been. Tony figured Gibbs was worried enough about what was going on inside his skull without shaking it up too much but the glare was pointed enough.

"Although, we'd get there much faster if you drove," Tony amended.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later saw them driving out of the Marina district with its gleaming fibreglass floating places and fancy restaurants and boutiques into a much quieter and far more homely neighbourhood. Smartly painted wooden houses with well tended yards sat cheek by jowl with one another, perched on the edge of the ocean.

"So why didn't this friend of your call it in when you were a no show?" Gibbs wanted to know.

"I didn't actually tell him I was coming," Tony admitted. "I thought I'd surprise him. Turn left here."

"This would go a lot easier if you would just tell me where we were going."

"We're almost there. Besides, I thought you liked mysteries, Boss."

"I like solving 'em, DiNozzo." Gibbs looked at him. "Were you really not allowed, Pizza?"

"Right here." Tony evaded the question.

They drove until they ran out of road and came to a halt in front of a small house, with its own jetty and one of the most breath taking wooden sailing boats Gibbs had ever seen. The ex-Marine was out of the car and moving towards the jetty before he even realised he had stopped the car. He felt DiNozzo come up behind him.

"Leroy Jethro Gibbs, meet the "Serena May."

"Nice boat."

The admiration in his eyes said everything his words did not. The old fashioned sailing boat was a piece of true craftsman. Gibbs could see quality in every line and detail.

"Ahoy there!"

The call from the front porch had Tony double timing it up the steps to hug the elderly man leaning on the front rail, who patted him warmly on the back.

"It's good to see you boy. It's been a while, that job of yours keeping you busy, huh?"

"Sam, there's someone I'd like you to meet," Tony turned back to introduce Gibbs. "Boss, this is Sam Waltham, that's his life's work on the water over there. Sam, this is my Boss, Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs."

"Agent Gibbs," Sam's handshake was firm, his eyes clear and piercing. "It's good to finally meet you. Tony talks about you all the time."

"Really?" Gibbs cast an openly amused glance at his slightly embarrassed agent. "I'm sorry to say he's never mentioned you. And its Jethro."

"Jethro," Sam's lip quirked. "Well, your parents didn't really give you much of a choice there did they?" Without waiting for a response he turned back into the house. "I got some coffee brewing inside."


	8. Chapter 8

Sam made breakfast for all of them, Tony fetching and carrying as well as he could he could with his broken arm and Gibbs leaning against the counter top, sipping a cup of the best coffee he had ever tasted, as Sam talked about his life as a shipwright and his passion for the sea.

"My folks were the sensible, down to earth sort, when my father taught me carpentry he expected me to make houses, furniture and the like," He recalled. "But all I was ever interested in was boats. Worried my mother sick, she didn't see how anyone could make an honest living making nothing but wooden boats."

"Plenty of people out there prepared to pay top dollar for craftsmanship." Gibbs put in.

Sam dipped his head, acknowledging the compliment, before plucking the bacon out of the pan and layering it on a waiting plate. Before he could ask, Tony had reached up into a cupboard and used his good hand to pull down a bowel, holding it out so Sam could ladle the mushrooms into it.

"You hurt that arm of yours again?"

Sam spoke, as if it was of no interest, but Gibbs had caught the narrowed eyed glance he threw at the offending limb as he spoke the word that had piqued the ex-marine's interest._ Again._

"Work thing," Tony dismissed it. "You want me to plate this up?"

"Your Boss, there'll do it," Sam surprised Gibbs. "You are as white as my Aunt Lucy's porcelain diner service and I reckon if you don't take it easy on yourself he's going to be giving you one of those head slaps of his."

"I can do it." Tony insisted.

"Ain't no shame in leaning on your friends some," Sam observed blandly. "Or did you plan on explaining me to me how come last time I went to the Docs I found my medical insurance covered a whole lot more than it used to?"

"Gonna get yourself a little nip/tuck there, Sam?" Tony neatly deflecting the question, even as he let Gibbs take the bowl out of his hands. "Or maybe that new hip you've needed for the last two years?"

"All in good time boy," Sam waggled his eye brows. "There's still some mileage in these old bones yet."

They ate out on the porch, Tony lying on his stomach, relaxed enough that it was clear to Gibbs that he'd been coming here for a good long time. They talked of nothing much as they ate, specifically nobody said anything more about Tony's arm, or how he and Sam had come to meet. Gibbs sensed there was a story there and not in a good way.

After breakfast, Gibbs re-filled up his coffee cup and went back out to sit on the porch steps to enjoy the view. As he settled down, he wasn't surprised to hear Sam's heavy tread behind him.

"The boy's watching TV in the den. He said something about having twenty years of shows to catch up on. That mean anything to you?"

"He's just yanking your chain, Sam."

"I figured," He heard the man settle in the easy chair behind him. "I suppose you are wondering how we met?"

"Crossed my mind."

"I came across him one summer hanging around on the Marina, scrawny little kid he was, all arms and legs. Seemed like he was at a bit of a lose end, all the grown folks had gone off to some party or other and whoever the heck was supposed to be watching over the kid was nowhere to be seen."

"Sounds about right." Gibbs agreed.

"Anyhow, he started helping me out, kid was smart as a tack, soaked things up like a sponge, came out with me every day for weeks, I swear you could almost see the boy growing. Don't think anyone ever even missed him."

"What happened?"

"Now what makes you think something happened?" Sam raised a brow.

"Because if it hadn't, Tony would have told me about you long before now."

Sam gave him a searching look and Gibbs knew that the man was weighing up what he knew of the NCIS Agent's relationship with Tony against the younger man's trust and privacy. Apparently, he passed muster because Sam sighed.

"Last week of the summer they always hold a little regatta in the bay here. It's not a big thing, mostly for us locals but, I thought it would be nice for the boy to crew in a real race before he had to take off. Should have seen his face when I told him, it was like Thanksgiving, Christmas and his birthday, all come together. So, you can imagine my surprise when the big day dawned and he never showed."

"Doesn't sound like Tony."

"Not at all," Sam shook his head. "I went over to the Marina but I couldn't find him. It was two days later when he finally showed up here. He told me that his father had had some big fancy lunch thing and he'd just expected Tony would be there. I wouldn't have minded but, he was so quiet I knew there was more to it than that."

"You think he fought with his father?"

"That boy wanted to sail in that race more than anything. I could see that in his eyes," Sam sighed. "And he's as stubborn as they come. If you want to crook a finger and have him come running you've got to have put in a whole lot of ground work but, I figure you already know that."

"Learned it the hard way," Gibbs' lips quirked in a wry smile, thinking of his first meeting with the headstrong young Baltimore cop. "But, we worked things out."

"Yeah, I reckon you did," Sam chuckled. "To hear him talk you can do no wrong. Boy practically worships you. It means a whole lot to him that you came out here with him. I do what I can but I'm an old man now. About time he had someone to take a proper interest in him."

Gibbs didn't react as he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Tony's footfalls were almost imperptablkeas he came to lean on the door jamb but Gibbs knew that he was there, silently listening.

"What did his father do to him?"

"The boy wouldn't say a word. But I saw the bruises on his arm, clear as day. He didn't want to let me near 'em at first but I talked him round. I took him to the Hospital and we had them X-ray it. When I found it was broken I wanted to do something but I had no proof and his family were old money with fancy lawyers and I was afraid of making things worse."

"He doesn't remember any of that," Gibbs murmured. "He thinks it was some kind of accident."

"Can't say as I'm surprised," Sam sighed. "When we got to the Hospital he was almost hysterical, damn near terrified I was going to just leave him there. Only time I ever saw that boy cry. Doc had to give him some pretty good stuff so he could set his arm. I brought him back here, put him to bed, and phoned his father to let him know where he was. He slept through the night and we never talked about it again."

"His father didn't come and fetch him?" Gibbs head came up sharply.

"Reckon, he was probably already passed out somewhere," Sam said frankly. "The help answered the phone. Said I could keep the boy till the end of the week. So, I did. After that, he spent most of his vacations here, with his school friends, or at camp, so things worked out in their own way."

"You really believe that, Sam?"

"The way the boy told it, his father had been drinking and lost his temper. Shook him by the arm when the kid told him he didn't want to go to his party. Tony tried to get away from him, I guess he put up a bit of a struggle, and his father didn't know his own strength. At least had the sense to see he should keep his distance," Sam shook his head. "Way I see it, the less time our boy spent with a man like that the better."

Gibbs didn't react as Tony strode forward, pulling one hand on the porch rail and vaulting over it, taking off down the beach at a clip without a word. Sam's eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"You knew he was there." He accused.

"He needed to hear it, Sam." Gibbs responded calmly.

"That doesn't mean you have to go lancing the boil with a rusty knife." Sam's tone was mildly disapproving.

"You'd rather I recommend him for a Psych Evaluation?" Gibbs shook his head. "Tony doesn't do well with shrinks. He tells them everything but what they actually need to hear. I need his head screwed on right. I want him back in the field."

"You mean you want him where you can keep an eye on him?" Sam figured. Gibbs said nothing, neither confirming nor denying as the elder man snorted. "Can't say as I blame you. That boy has far too much practice at hiding his feelings."

"He come here a lot?" Gibbs fished.

A few times over the years," Sam shrugged. "At first it was when he had problems with his father, then when he was injured in College and knew he'd never turn Pro. Once he became a cop, I saw less of him, just occasionally when he lost a friend, or couldn't solve a case that's been eating at him. There's not many people in this world he really trusts to let his guard down, although things have been easier since he started working for you."

"Oh?"

"A boy never grows out of needing a father," The elder man observed shrewdly. "And there's time enough for you to make this right, if you've a mind to. That boy doesn't need anymore heartache."

"Oh, I'm in this for the long haul," Gibbs promised, before letting a wry smile spread across his face. "Knowing DiNozzo, it's going to take at least that long."

* * *

He waited until DiNozzo came back, his shirt soaked with swear and his breathing hard as he sank into the in the sand after what was obviously a long, hard run. Running his eyes over the lines of tension in his body and the dark, hard, look in his eyes it hadn't done his exhausted Agent any good at all. Gibbs silently passed him a bottle of water, waiting until the younger man had drunk his fill before asking,

"Better?" He couldn't keep the edge of sarcasm out of his voice DiNozzo looked as if a stiff breeze could do him in.

"Bastard." Tony responded his tone more weary and defeated than truly annoyed.

"You know it." Gibbs sank down beside him.

"We've both still got sick leave coming," Tony spoke tonelessly, after a while. "My resignation will on your desk when you get back."

"You don't get to run from this, Tony." Gibbs' tone was surprisingly gentle.

"Gibbs, it's a free country. You can't stop me if I want to resign."

"No?" Gibbs raised a brow.

"Well, alright, maybe you can," Tony admitted, he wasn't quite sure how Gibbs would manage it, it was probably better not to even think about that but, if he wanted to Tony was pretty sure he could find a way. "But why would you want to?"

"Don't pull that crap with me, DiNozzo," Gibbs kept his tone mild. "I made you my senior field Agent because you're a dammed good investigator and we both know it. Nothing I've seen over the past few days is going to change that. You screw up like Blackadder and you won't get a chance to resign. I'll fire your ass. Otherwise, you belong to me. Are we clear?" 

Tony had always prided himself on being able to keep his emotions in check. But since meeting Gibbs it had become harder and harder to keep his mask permanently in place. The no-nonsense ex-marine had a way of seeing through his act that Tony felt at once terrifying and reassuring.

"Gibbs I thought I was ten," Tony could barely even say it. "And you just …." 

Words failed him. The memory of the ex-marine's simple kindness was overwhelming. His own parents had never let him sleep in their bed after a nightmare. They would never have come to a movie theatre with him. Or let him eat Pizza with his fingers in public.

"I did what I always do," Gibbs informed him quietly. "Took care of my own."

All at once, Tony felt a hot wash of shame. How could he have made any of this about him? Gibbs wasn't seeing him when he slipped so easily into a parental role he was obviously just falling back on the patterns he had learned with his own daughter. Watching Tony must have just rubbed salt into that still open wound.

"Gibbs," He bit his lip. How could he apologise for being so clueless? "You're a great Boss. You bring out the best in your people and you never leave then hanging when the shit hits the fan. I've learned more from you in the last two years than my whole career. That's good enough. I grew out of needing a father a long time ago."

"Really?" Gibbs half amused, half tolerant, repost surprised him. "Could have fooled me."

"Boss." Tony could feel his face heating up, with a mixture of pleasure and embarrassment at the open endorsement.

"You ever think I'm too hard on you?" Gibbs asked suddenly.0

"Sometimes," Tony shrugged. "But only because you think I can deliver, even when I'm not sure. Mostly, you're pretty fair. You get me more than anyone else I've ever worked for. You huff and puff but I've never been afraid of you."

"What about the head slaps?"

"I kinda like the head slaps." Tony admitted awkwardly.

"You _like _that I hit you?" Gibbs gave him an incredulous glance.

"At least you notice I'm alive," Tony looked at him. "C'mon Boss, we both know the head slaps don't really hurt. It's more of a wake up call. And you are nothing like my Dad. I've seen you with kids, you'd never hit a child."

"Shannon was always the strict one," Gibbs admitted. "She was the one who had to deal with the day to day stuff. Home work, bedtimes, wanting to get her ears pierced. When I was home on leave I just wanted to spoil her."

"That's nice, Boss." Tony smiled. He tried to think of a single time his own father had indulged him with an unexpected treat or a spontaneous gesture of affection. Gibbs said very litte but his actions spoke volumes.

"Had you really never had Pizza?" The ex-marine asked abruptly.

"Never had Pizza, or burgers, never had Captain Crunch for breakfast, never went to a sleepover, never go to go treat or treating," Tony reflected. "As a teenager, I had a lot to rebel against."

"Yeah, I can see that." Gibbs muttered darkly.

"It wasn't a good time, Boss," Tony rubbed his broken arm unconsciously. "After my Mom died, my Dad started drinking too much and spending time with other women. I guess he kind of lost himself for a while. At the end of that summer he sent me to boarding school. My life was better after that."

"Sending you away didn't help you work out your problems with your father any." Gibbs observed.

"Things didn't get any worse either," Tony said quietly. "He wasn't a monster, Gibbs. I always had everything I needed. You shouldn't think badly of him."

"He broke your dammed arm!" Gibbs exploded. "Damn it, DiNozzo, why do you insist on defending him?"

"Because, he's my Dad," Tony said simply. "And I turned out alright. Mostly."

Gibbs sighed. In his book the younger man was significantly more than alright. And he certainly didn't need the ex-marine's prejudices feeding his insecurities. Reaching over, he put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed firmly.

"You'll do."

As Tony leant slightly into his touch Gibbs felt a surge of satisfaction. He couldn't answer for his actions if he ever met the elder DiNozzo but, he could make dammed sure that his son got the care and attention that his parents had mostly denied him.

* * *

They spent the rest of the day stocking the boat and making final checks. Sam caught a pail full of fish which Gibbs cleaned and cooked over an open fire on the beach. Wrapped up in a cocoon of blankets, Tony complained about sand in his shorts, yelped when he burned his fingers on the bar-b-qued fish, whined when Gibbs cut him off after two beers and finally fell asleep, with his head on Gibbs back pack, having had one of the best evenings of his life.

"You sure have a way with him." Sam chuckled.

"Most people wonder how he puts up with me." Gibbs snorted.

"That boy acts like the whole world is his friend but, he doesn't give his trust easily, I reckon you two rub just fine."

As darkness fell Sam took himself back into the house and his feather mattress. Gibbs put another piece of wood on the fire and sat back to watch his Agent sleep. DiNozzo hugged the backpack to him, a soft, smile on his face as he slept soundly. Pulling out his hip flask, Gibbs ran his fingers over the engraving, before toasting the heavens.

"Guess, you were right as always, Shannon love, I'm a better man for having a family. Give Kelly a kiss for me."

He took a long drag, tipping his head back, feeling the liquor burn as it went down. As he straightened up, he saw DiNozzo's eyes were open.

"Boss?" He enquired sleepily.

"Go back to sleep, DiNozzo."

"I could sleep on the boat if you want to get underway." Tony sat up carefully, propping himself up on his good arm.

"Tomorrow'll be soon enough," Gibbs assured him. "Now, get some rest. Just because you only have one good arm doesn't mean you're going to get to sit on your ass all day."

"The word vacation means nothing to you, does it?" Tony gave a long suffering sigh, as he hunckered back down under the blankets, a contented smile on his face.

"Sleep. DiNozzo."

He heard, rather than saw the rustling, as Tony dug around in the back pack. Thinking he was looking for a granola bar or something Gibbs paid no attention, until Tony produced a sharpie.

"Hey, Boss? You want to sign my cast?"

His face breaking into a lightening fast grin, Gibbs plucked the sharpie out of his Agent's expectant hand, reaching over to sign in the only remaining empty space

_L J Gibbs_

"There. Now get some sleep. That's an order, DiNozzo."

He kept a straight face as Tony peered at the writing in silent disappointment, before picking up the thick, woollen blanket, Sam had been sitting on, giving it a quick shake and very deliberately tucking it around his Agent. Tony watched him carefully but, didn't speak as the ex-marine leaned in and ruffled his hair fondly.

"G'Night," He grinned tightly. "Partner."


End file.
